Adventures in Seeing - Open

Hi! And welcome to what might be a regular or occasional post in the year ahead. I received a new photography book from my son for Christmas, called Adventures in Seeing, by Kim Manley Ort. The chapters take you on a journey and invite you to slow down and connect with what you see before you take a photo. This appeals to me. As a keen photographer I have always taken my camera everywhere and been open to what inspires or draws me but recently, caught up in other things, my passion has got lost. I got lost. So I am trying to find my way back.

I like projects and focus and for a number of years I did Project 365. But when I got too busy with other things the photos just piled up as computer downloads and eventually I gave up. I did complete a year of Tree Following, and posted a monthly blog about the changes I saw. I enjoyed this but decided not to continue for a second year and so last year I took a break from both these projects.   

And now, with a new camera and an intention to reconnect, I am excited to discover this book and the closed Facebook group where members will work together.  There are 45 weekly themes and as I want to enjoy the course and not feel pressured I do not plan to post regularly. But I will share from time to time and thought I would start with some of the photos I have taken this week.

The theme is OPEN. It connects with me, because I am practicing ways to be more present, such as meditating and taking time to pause or go more slowly. Open is a good place to start, and it invites all kinds of ideas. Here are a couple of examples:

These reeds drew my attention, the different textures and the way they gently waved in the breeze. However, it was my husband who pointed out the sound of the stems as they gently touched. I realised my eyes might be open but not my other senses.
A good lesson learnt.

On our way we noticed part of a building that interested us. Usually hidden by trees it now stood out clearly so we left the river edge and ventured down a path that led towards a row of houses. We paused to admire their location and unusual architecture then retraced our steps.  It is good sometimes to explore and be open to what the day brings.  To follow the path unknown.

I hadn't intended to take a photo, I simply opened the front door and noticed frost on the car windscreen. I immediately had the urge to pick up my camera. I am getting used to the new settings and features and after a couple of shots I noticed that the frost was quickly melting. A few more minutes and their crispness would be lost. I learnt that sometimes you have to grab the opportunity while it lasts, as some are fleeting.

On my walk this morning this gate and hedge make me think of the word OPEN. I like taking photos of gates, doors, windows, and what look like openings - they invite investigation and mystery. A portal into the unknown. So I walked closer for a different perspective.

And sometimes what first appears open, isn't.

An opening suggests a way of entry, a coming and going. There are cattle in this field so the padlock might delay or deter rustlers. But it might have another purpose too. Last year someone abandoned a pony into the field, leaving the farmer with responsibility for it's welfare. Who'd have expected this?

Sometimes being open invites surprises and unwanted outcomes, but wouldn't life be dull if it was safe and predictable? So, take the unknown paths and didn't forget to pause to look more closely as you go about your day!  I'll be back sometime with more Adventures in Seeing.

Time to Photo Prune and Propagate

It's too cold to work in the garden but there is much pruning and propagating to be done indoors.  And so here I am, at my computer, slowly working my way through six years worth of photos that have been downloaded but not organised into folders. It is overwhelming. 

It is something I keep planning to do. But don't.

And so in the quiet days of post-Christmas I am making a start. I like going through old photos but there is a bitter edge because it would be more enjoyable if there wasn't so many. I know when I took the same 20 photos of my baby grand daughter that I planned to keep the best one or two and delete the rest. But I didn't, and many more photos followed. She is now 6.

I am never without my camera. Just ask my friends and family! Photos make memories, capture magical moments like the sunrise, and they give the mundane meaning. But I began to feel like I was drowning, and after several years of taking Project 365 photos I stopped. Because, well, what was the point? They just added to my photo piles and gave stress rather than enjoyment. It's quick and easy to take a photo, especially now that I use one on my mobile phone as well. But having abundance does not always give us what we want. No. 

Photography was once a passion, a part of who I am. But this overwhelm has taken something away. Something that I want back. And so here I am taking steps. My husband bought me a new camera for Christmas, and I also received a new book called 'Adventures in Seeing'. It is about contemplative photography, which connects with me. It is a reminder to slow down, and think before I take a photo. I am planning to pick up Project 365 again and to put time aside to organise my photos as I go along. I am beginning to feel excited about taking photos again.

But for now, it's time to get back to my pruning and propagating!